identify two central ideas in the article, "New York School Bus Strike: Sign of National Pressure on Unions". For each central idea, cite at least one example of evidence that develops the central idea over the course of the article. Use paragraph numbers to cite your evidence.
Paragraphs 10 through 30
Central Idea 1: The New York school bus strike was a result of various factors, including competitive bidding for contracts, increasing costs, and pressure on unions by city administrators.
Evidence: The article mentions that the city sought to control costs by soliciting competitive bids for new bus contracts (paragraphs 10-11). The strike by bus drivers was against this competitive bidding that endangered their job security and benefits (paragraphs 12-13). In paragraph 14, it is mentioned that the consolidated market reduced competition, leading to higher costs for parents and schools, while in paragraph 20, it is stated that the NYPD and school administrators coordinated to discuss the prospect of a driver walkout.
Central Idea 2: The school bus strike in New York highlights the broader national trend of pressure on unions and a landscape that is increasingly unfavorable towards organized labor.
Evidence: Paragraph 21 states that "union clout" has been weakened all over the United States, with examples of teachers' unions in Chicago and transportation unions in Los Angeles being mentioned. Moreover, in paragraph 23, it is mentioned that private-sector union membership has dropped significantly in recent decades, and the public-sector membership is now "holding relatively steady within a landscape that is shifting sharply away from union interests". The article also discusses how pension plans for public-sector workers are underfunded and controversial in various states (paragraph 27).